Lang Son establishes a 3-layer 'green zone' to improve import and export efficiency

From the beginning of 2022 up to now, three border gates (Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh, Chi Ma) in Lang Son province, although still carrying out customs clearance activities, there have been more than 20 times of customs clearance cancellations due to China taking urgent measures to prevent and control the epidemic.

It has caused the total import and export turnover (import and export) of goods through the border gates of Lang Son province in the first three months of 2022 to go down by 43.5% compared to the same period in 2021. The turnover of goods exports fell by more than 77%.

The People's Committee of Lang Son province has directed relevant agencies to quickly develop a plan to establish a safe "green zone" at border gates to ensure the highest level of Covid-19 epidemic prevention. Thereby creating a homogeneity with China on epidemic prevention and control, promoting import and export activities of goods through the province's border gates.

Lang Son province's "green zone" is set up with three layers, including a buffer layer (including parking areas outside the border gate, such as the cargo transshipment area, the non-tariff area...). The second layer is the functional force directly managing (managing the workers at the port and yard enterprises, service activities participating in activities at the border gate). The third layer is the core area (controlling the drivers of the Dedicated Driver Team).

Accordingly, people, vehicles, and goods before entering the border gate area are strictly controlled according to these three layers not to allow any cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection to enter the border gate, thereby minimizing the risk of having to suspend customs clearance activities.

Major Le Van Chat, Head of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station, said: “The establishment of this safe green zone is critical to meet the epidemic prevention requirements of China in the clearance of goods contributes to solving the congestion at the border gate, especially for agricultural export products of our country.

According to Mr. Chat, this is a practical and must-do plan to meet the epidemic prevention needs of both sides and ensure that the border gate area is green. This option still needs to be developed and supplemented to bring long-term and sustainable effects to serve the import-export work of Vietnam with China.

Along with establishing the "green zone", Lang Son province has also increased exchanges and talks with the competent authorities of Guangxi in China to effectively deploy the method of delivery and receipt of exported goods. Imported at Huu Nghi - Huu Nghi Quan international border gate pair, Tan Thanh - Po Chai border gate pair according to the non-contact customs clearance model.

In implementing this method, due to new implementation, in the early days, the functional forces and the enterprises of the two sides were still not smooth in coordination, leading to the results not being as expected.

However, on average, every day at Tan Thanh border gate, there are more than 100 cars successfully entering and exiting customs clearance, thereby partly solving the number of vehicles existing at the border gate areas.

It can be seen that the establishment of a "green zone", or the implementation of new methods of freight forwarding at this time, are the optimal solutions in the current epidemic situation and show the participation of Lang Son province in improving customs clearance capacity, improving import and export situation.

Mr. Hoang Khanh Duy, Deputy Head of the Management Board of Cua Dong Dang Economic Zone - Lang Son province, said: "To limit the congestion of goods and promote import and export through the area. In the coming time, we will continue to coordinate with relevant departments and branches to direct forces to improve inspection processes and procedures for people and goods to make the most of the clearance time of the day to improve customs clearance efficiency.

In addition, Mr. Duy said he would continue to monitor and grasp the regulations of the Chinese side, especially measures for quality inspection, quarantine, food safety, and the origin of agricultural products and fruits, to promptly notify and recommend to localities, growing regions, traders, and businesses.

According to the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son border gate economic zone, in recent days, due to the customs clearance of goods at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, the Chinese side has reconnected to help the flow of goods has increased significantly.